Twine-cutter



(No Model.)

D. MGDONOUGH.

TWINE CUTTER.

No. 415,216. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENIS MODONOUGH, ()F EAU CLAIRE, \VlSfON-SIN.

TWINE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,216, dated November 19, 1889.

Application filed August 16, 1889. Serial No. 320,933. (No modelr) To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DENIS MCDONOUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eau Claire, in the county of Eau Claire and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Twine-Cutter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to a hand device for the purpose of cutting cord, twine, &c., and among the objects in view are to provide a cheaply-constructed cutter adapted to be inclosed by the hand and conveniently grasped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a cord-cutter constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse central section; Fig. 4, a detail of the main guard-plate; Fig. 5, a similar view of its companion.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In practicing my invention I prefer to form the guard-plates l and 2, the latter being the main plate, of sheet metal, and to strike the same up by suitable dies, as will be readily apparent. The main guard-plate 2 consists of a central portion 3, the sides of which are bent parallel to each other, as at 4:, and at an angle to the central portion, and by the removal of opposite rectangular corner portions a rear flap 5 is formed, which is bent up and adjoins the edges of the two side pieces, thus forming one-half of a housing for the blades. The central portion is extended beyond the front edges of the sides 4 to form a convenient grip 6. The opposite guard-plate is constructed similar to the one just described, with the exception of the rear flap 5, but has the opposite sides 4 and the grip portion 6. The sides 4 of the guard-plate 1 take between the similar sides of the guard-plate 2 and are pivoted near their rear ends by a rivet 7, the rear plate or flap of the guard 2 serving as a limit to the spreading of the guard, and said rear plate also being provided with an eye 8, by which the device may be suspended from the belt of the user.

9 represents opposite shear blades, connected by a rivet 10 near their rear ends, said blades being inserted within the housing formed by the two guards and having their front ends preferably sharply beveled and projecting beyond the grip portion (3 of said guards. U-shaped clips 11 are located upon the inner surfaces of the guards near their front ends and embrace the blades, and are rigidly connected therewith by means of rivets 12, passing through the opposite sections of the clips and the intermediate blades.

13 represents a V-shaped spring, the terminals of which each take against and rest within the inner surface of one of the guardgrips, the angle of the V being coiled, as at 14, to give the proper resiliency to the spring, and through the coil is passed the rivet 7, retaining the springin position. The tendency of the spring is to maintain the blades apart, and in using the device it is simply necessary to grip the housing with the palm of the hand and compress the two blades together against the spring and release the same. By this it is apparent that I have provided a very efficient quickly-operating cord-cutter that is always ready for use and can be manufactured at a minimum cost.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with opposite blades pivoted at their rear ends, of opposite guards pivoted in rear of the ends of the blades and provided with grips and connected to the blades beyond their pivots, and a V-shaped spring interposed between the guards and having its terminals bearing thereagainst and adapted to maintain the blades in open relation, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a pair of shearblades pivoted at their rear ends, of opposite sheet-metal guards extended to form grips and secured to the out-er ends of the blades, and having their rear ends bent to form housings, the housings of one guard receiving those of the other, and a rivet connecting the two in rear of the ends of the blades, and a V-shaped spring having a coil at its angle and terminating against the inner surface of the guards and adapted to retain the blades in open position, substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with the sheet-metal guards 1 and 2, each extended forwardly to form hand-gripsand provided with right-angularly-disposed parallel sides, and one of said guards provided with a rear plate or flap forming a stop, and a pivot inserted through the sides of the guards, of a pair of shear-blades pivoted at their rear ends and mounted in the housing formed by the guards, U-shaped clips projecting from each of the guards, embracing and riveted to one of theblades, and a V-shaped spring interposed between the guards and bearing between the inner surfaces of the same and coiled around the pivot of the guards, and serving to maintain the guards and blades in an open position, substantiall y as specified.

4. In an improved cutter for twine, &c., the opposite blades pivoted together at their rear ends, the opposite guards pivoted in rear of the ends of the blades and secured to the blades in advance of the pivot, guards encircling the rear ends of the blades and extending up to the front ends thereof and covering their edges, and a V- shaped spring mounted and housed within the guards and bearing against the same, so as to maintain the guards and the blades in an open position substantially in the shape of the letter V, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the two blades pivoted at their rear ends, of opposite guards secured to and covering the outer edges of the blades, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the two blades pivoted at their rear ends, of the guards pivotally connected, covering and secured to the outer edges of the blades, and a spring i11- terposed between the same to maintain them in an open position, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I'claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

DENIS MCDONOUGH.

WVitnesses:

ED. H. HIBBARD, J. E. HORAN. 

